Hogwarts Library Open to Muggles

Madam Pince is displeased. Why? Because now muggles can visit the Hogwarts Library. On August 15th, Sony’s third release in the Pottermore at PlayStation Home series saw its first muggle visitors. This release features the Hogwarts Library, a giant wizard chess game, and flying on broomsticks through the Forbidden Forest. Also, if you re-visit Diagon Alley, you can now pick up your wand from Ollivanders (if you have connected your Pottermore.com account to PlayStation Home). Pottermore featured this trailer on its “Pottermore Insider” blog:

I was excited to visit the Hogwarts Library—one of my favorite locations within Hogwarts. It is much larger than I expected it to be. In fact, it is even larger than the Great Hall, which struck me as much smaller and more intimate than what we see portrayed in the movies and EA video games.

While visiting the Library, I ran into Colin Creevy, who had his magical camera with him. He was very obliging when I asked whether he would take pictures of me on my first visit to the Library. They turned out very well, even though they do not move. Here are the results:

These bookshelves house thousands of books.

The restricted section is mostly inaccessible due to this red rope.

If this table looks familiar–it’s where the trio are seated when they see Hagrid in the Library on Pottermore.com.

This scene also looks very familiar–taken directly from Pottermore.com.

The Hogwarts Library even has a suspended walkway to view the bookshelves and chandeliers from above. Colin took this picture using flash, because it’s very dark up here, since we’re above the chandeliers.

Afterwards, while I still had Colin with me, we visited the Great Hall to take a few size-comparison shots between the Library and the Great Hall, which is, as I’ve already said, much smaller and more intimate a space than what we’re used to seeing (and which I think I like much better). Lastly, I snuck him into the Ravenclaw Common Room, because it is truly my favorite location within Hogwarts, even more than the Library.

With a room this small, there is no way that students can escape the hot wax dripping upon them from the candles above.

Since Dumbledore was nowhere in sight, I felt safe sitting in his chair behind the staff table for a moment.

I don’t care who you are–Slytherin, Hufflepuff, or Gryffindor–Ravenclaws seriously have the greatest common room.

I mean, just look at the sunshine flooding our common room. You can see birds flying around our tower through the windows. You can see the starry sky above.

You can also see the magnificent statue of Rowena Ravenclaw in the corner. And would you take a look at that magnificent globe? And look at all the blue. So much wondrous blue.

There you have it folks. Piece by magical piece, PlayStation Home is giving us a glimpse of what the “book Hogwarts” might look like. Which magical location do you hope PlayStation Home will release next? Share your favorite locations in the comments!